Ruff House helps pets, families in crisis

Deborah Blue greets her three dogs Chunky, Riley and Hannah after leaving them in the care of The Ruff House for six weeks after she lost her place to live.

Deborah Blue greets her three dogs Chunky, Riley and Hannah after leaving them in the care of The Ruff House for six weeks after she lost her place to live.

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Deborah Blue greets her three dogs Chunky, Riley and Hannah after leaving them in the care of The Ruff House for six weeks after she lost her place to live.

Deborah Blue greets her three dogs Chunky, Riley and Hannah after leaving them in the care of The Ruff House for six weeks after she lost her place to live.

Ruff House helps pets, families in crisis

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As the need for animal shelters continues to grow nationwide, the Humane Society of Montgomery County has found a niche that is helping keep pets out of those shelters when their owners find themselves in a crisis.

The Ruff House, which opened in late 2012, provides refuge for dogs and cats when their owners cannot care for them due to an unexpected, temporary crisis. The most common scenarios include elderly residents who are hospitalized and have no one to care for their pets and women who need to escape an abusive relationship but don’t want to leave their pets behind.

Gary Louie, a volunteer with HSMC, said after an extensive search for the right property, the organization purchased a 2,200-square-foot home on about five acres off FM 1314 southeast of Conroe. With some minor renovations, including removing carpet, installing kennels and building a dog run, the shelter can house six to 10 dogs and cats with plenty of room to expand in the future.

“This turned out to be a really nice piece of property,” he said adding the home was built in the late 1960s.

According to Louie, animals are taken on a case-by-case basis. Staff members interview those needing help to determine whether the Ruff House is the right place for their situation. Once the determination is made, staff members decide how long the animals need to be at the shelter and how much the owners can donate toward the care of the animals and operating expenses.

“Over the last year and a half, we have had two or three dozen guests” Louie said. “If their pets are in a safe place, they take that off their list of critical things to worry about and can focus on solving their crisis.”

For Deborah Blue, The Ruff House was the answer she needed for her three dogs Chunky, Riley and Hannah.

“I lost my place to live and wanted to keep my dogs,” she said. “(The Ruff House) has helped me out the last three weeks.”

And while the organization continues to iron out the logistics and plan for different scenarios, Louie said The Ruff House has helped families keep their pets and encourage responsible pet ownership. If The Ruff House doesn’t fit the needs for a pet or family, Louie said the staff can help with other options to ensure the pets are placed in a safe environment.

Louie said The Ruff House, like any nonprofit organization, always needs donations and volunteers.

“You can image, whether it is one acre or five acres, there is always something that needs to be done,” said Louie, adding he hopes groups wanting to embark on a service project will consider The Ruff House and help with wish list items, including an enclosed patio for cats, landscaping and improving lighting in the home.

To volunteer or donate, call Louie at 281-221-0132. For those needing The Ruff House services, call 936-231-4762.